


No One Left Behind

by ceirdwenfc



Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M, Purgatory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-20
Updated: 2013-03-20
Packaged: 2017-12-05 22:27:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/728593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ceirdwenfc/pseuds/ceirdwenfc





	No One Left Behind

Dean's hand was warm. There was a steady pressure on top of it and he groggily tried to open his eyes. He failed the first two times.

Two hours.

It felt like two hours sleep. Couldn't have been more than that?

The ground under him was damp, cold and a shiver ran along his back spasming in his neck. He focused on the warmth over his hand and wanted to be in bed, any bed or any flea-bag motel with stuck windows and buzzing mosquitos. The deep woods feeling of this part of Purgatory was still; very quiet and dark. And cold. There was no fire to keep them warm or to cook. Benny was good at catching edible things and very mindful to respect Dean's diet requirements, which mainly consisted of 'if you say it's edible I will eat it.' Other than that, he'd had better nights.

Benny _was_ good to have at his side, and eventually, he did trust him at his back. They were going to get out of here. Dean was certain of it. How long was the real question.

He cleared his throat and stretched his back to wake up. As soon as he moved, the warmth left his hand, cool air blew across his skin just as he opened his eyes.

Castiel was there, sitting on the ground very close to him. He wasn't leaning on Dean, but he was close enough that he could have been. His blade rested across his lap and Dean noticed his hand just next to, but not touching his hand.

Without making eye contact, Dean stretched his arm out a little further until he covered Castiel's hand with his and wrapped his fingers around until they touched Cas' palm giving him a light squeeze.

Cas straightened his back, not uncomfortable and not stretching, and Dean released him, almost instantly sitting up and moving into a crouch. He looked around, taking inventory of their makeshift clearing.

"Where did Benny go?"

"Hunting."

"Food? Or other?"

"Both, I think."

"Did he at least get some sleep?"

"About half what you got."

Dean grabbed a handful of some kind of berry they found yesterday. He offered some to Cas, who declined with a shake of his head.

"You should eat."

"I don't need to eat."

"You still should. Makes me feel better."

"Mother hen." Cas said with a false contempt accompanied by an eye-roll at Dean who grinned, popping the rest of berries into his mouth all at once and chewing them.

**OOO**

"Are you sure this cave is safe?"

"Yes, Cas. Do you think I want it to be unsafe? I keep you two safe and you get me outta this hellhole. It doesn't get much simpler than that."

He nodded towards the back of the cave. "You might be able to build a fire back there. I'll hide the entrance when I go for food. Berries or meat?"

"What kind of meat?" Cas asked innocently.

Dean waved Benny off and turned to Cas. "It's not burgers, trust me, and he and I have had an agreement. He brings home the bacon, I eat it and we do not talk about it."

"So you're in denial?"

"Yes. Yes, I am. Can you angel mojo a fire or do I have to go collect some sticks?"

Castiel didn't take his eyes from Dean's, turned his hand as though he were opening a door and Dean heard the flicker of flames in the circle of rocks he had already made. He stifled a laugh and slapped Castiel on the shoulder in a gesture of thanks.

They sat in silence until Dean jumped at the first sound of rustling outside, but soon relaxed when he saw Benny.

"Is that a rabbit?" Cas asked innocuously.

"Cas!" Dean reacted strongly and Benny shook his head. "I already told you! It doesn't matter what it is, does it, Benny?"

"Not to me."

"Spices?" Cas looked at Benny as he seasoned the …..whatever it was. It did look like a rabbit, but Cas wasn't about to mention that again.

"It's a blend."

"That you brought with you?"

Benny laughed. "No. I made it after I had been here awhile. It makes almost anything taste better. Although that's not much of a bar. I try to use it sparingly."

"It smells good, doesn't it, Cas?"

Cas nods, but he isn't really interested in the rabbit; or whatever Dean thinks it is.

Cleanup is easy. Can't put it outside until they left – wouldn't want to draw attention to them or their temporary space, safe for now. Benny takes up position at the front. He's already half hidden the doorway and they've damped down the fire a bit so it's still warm, but not a blazing beacon in the very, very dark night.

Dean sleeps first; then Benny. Dean tries to convince Castiel to sleep or relax or something that isn't sitting at practically attention, watching and not watching him.

Dean leaned less than comfortably against the rocky wall. The wall is cold at his back, but he hardly notices as he watches Cas' profile in the firelight.

He was relieved to have found him, and now with Benny's help, they can get back. Their luck was changing. He could feel it. He didn't care that Cas wasn't human and Benny didn't think he could get through the portal; he was coming with them. He wouldn't leave Cas in this place.

As if he read his mind, Cas shimmied back, leaning against the wall close to Dean, jostling Dean's elbow with his to get his friend's attention. He spoke very quietly and Dean had to tilt his ear closer to hear him.

"Tomorrow, you and Benny go on ahead, I'll stay here and, um, I'll clean this up and draw any Leviathan in a different direction; away from you. Both," he added. "It'll give you two a good head start."

"We're not leaving without you, Cas." Dean lifted his eyes to find Castiel already looking at him.

"They keep finding us. I'm only slowing you down. I'm an angel, Dean. I can't get through a human portal. This is the one way I can help."

"Cas," Dean said quietly, "I'm not leaving without you." The emphasis on the word 'I'm' rather than 'we're' was subtle, almost lost on Castiel, but Dean didn't know if there'd be another time like this one, just sitting, not running for their lives, not covered in fresh blood, mostly alone. His eyes flicked towards the front of the cave to where Benny was ignoring them, humming something he'd hummed before, from his childhood.

When his eyes came back to Cas' face, he saw that Cas hadn't let his gaze on Dean falter, and in that moment, the one not running, not covered in blood, relatively well-fed, they were actually alone in the way that meant anything and he put his hand against the back of Castiel's neck, drawing him closer until he pressed his lips to his.

He felt the sigh leave Castiel's lips when he responded without hesitation. Cas put his hand on Dean's shoulder where he imprinted him in that first instant pulling him up from hell.

When they separated, Dean kept his hand in Cas' hair and with his head very close, said again, very quietly, "I'm not leaving without you."

He watched the light play off of his features, the blue of his eyes, the dark circles seeming darker, the rough stubble of his beard that surprised him that he didn't mind the feel of. He felt the strength in Cas' neck and the pounding of his pulse when he pulled him closer.

The humming from the front of the cave stopped and it stilled the air and silenced Dean's thoughts. He kneaded his fingers on Cas' neck as he drew his hand back, twisting away, and leaning against the wall, asleep in the seconds before Castiel joined him. Dean's snores vibrated against his shoulder that Castiel had leaned into him.

 


End file.
